Gunman sought in Manchester brawl

MANCHESTER — Several shots were fired, four men were arrested and the alleged gunman remains at large after a New Year’s Day fight that involved as many as 40 people, Manchester police said Thursday.

The fight was reported about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday by a witness who told police that at least three shots were fired.

.When Officer Casey Finn got to the scene of the fight at Laurel and Beech streets, which is near St. Anne-St. Augustin Church, two men were still fighting. They ran away when he told them to stop. One managed to escape after ducking into a door, but Finn caught Frankie Peralta, 28, of Manchester, in an alley and arrested him on a charge of resisting arrest, police said...After Finn recovered a denim vest and 9 mm casing at the scene of the fight, Alex Ortiz, 21, of Manchester, approached him and said he owned the vest and wanted it back. Finn refused, saying the vest was evidence. Ortiz allegedly protested the seizure of his vest and caused a disturbance. He was charged with disorderly conduct then — after police said he spit at an officer while being booked — was also charged with simple assault...While Officer Raymond Youngs was helping Finn chase the two men who ran away, Jonathan Gallego, 21, of Manchester, allegedly lunged at Youngs and shouted obscenities at him. Officer Christian Horn subdued Gallego after a short struggle. Gallego was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest...After an investigation, police said a fourth man, Pedro Gallego, 23, of Manchester, was identified. He was arrested without incident on what police said was an unrelated warrant for driving a car after his license had been suspended...Police continue to search for the shooter. Anyone with information about the fight or the shooting is asked to call police at 668-8711 or anonymously at 624-4040 or online at manchestercrimeline.org...